ENTOMOLOGY. 157 



Turmeric paper as a test for Bordeaux mixture (Ztschr. Pflanzenkrank., 8 (1898), 

 Xo. 1, p. 55). — The use of turmeric paper as a test of the acidity of Bordeaux mix- 

 ture is recommeuded. 



Fungicides, insecticides, and spraying, J. Troop (Indiana Sta. Bid. 69, pp. 

 35-40). — Directions are given for the preparatiou and application of several of the 

 more common fungicides and insecticides, and a sort of spray calendar is also u,iven 

 in which the directions for prevention of fungus and insect attacks are arranged 

 under the names of the host plants. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 



Report of the apiarist, R. L. Taylor (Michigan Sta. Rpt. 1896, pp. 

 138-167). — The author discusses the relation of queens to foul brood, 

 various kinds of section comb foundation, the relation of honey to heat, 

 what becomes of the food, preservation of comb and the rendering - of 

 wax, wintering, foul brood, swarming, and natural vs. artificial swarms. 



To determine whether foul brood is carried by queens, a queen from 

 a badly infected colony was transferred to a perfectly healthy one. with 

 the result that no foul brood was developed — an important result bear- 

 ing on the possibility of spreading the disease in shipping queens. 



The general conclusions arrived at from the experiments with foun- 

 dation is that the quality of the wax has as much if not more to do 

 with the quality of the foundation than the mode of manufacturing. 

 This suggests questions as to whether the undesirable qualities of the 

 wax come from the honey used in producing it or from the excessive 

 boiling, and whether the quality of the wax can be improved. 



A water-bath melting vessel devised by the author for extracting 

 candied honey from comb is described in detail. It consists essentially 

 of an outer upright cylinder made of tin, galvanized iron, or copper, 

 and an inner one 2 or 3 in. less in height and 4 to 6 in. less in diameter. 

 The inner vessel stands on metal supports about an inch from the bot- 

 tom of the other and so that the space between the two is equal on all 

 sides. A spout provided with a wire gauze guard at its inner end 

 runs from the bottom of the inner vessel through the outer and con- 

 ducts off the honey as fast as it melts. Each can is provided with a 

 cover and the space between is filled with water. 



Experiments were made with a view to determining exactly the point 

 at which heat begins to be detrimental to the flavor and color of honey. 

 The question is important from the fact that in the absence of an 

 extractor heat has been employed for extracting. In the first experi- 

 ment honey was heated in a water bath and samples removed at 145°, 

 165°, 185°, 200°, and 202° F. The first sample showed no effects what- 

 ever, and the differences between the first and second were so slight 

 as to give rise to conflicting decisions. The differences between the 

 second and third were twice as great as between the first and second, 

 and it was noted that in heating to 165° the honey rapidly deteriorated 

 both in flavor and color. The differences between the third and fourth 

 were twice as great as between the second and third and between the 

 fourth and fifth there was evidence of a still more rapid deterioration. 



